MONIKA - Multicultural Women's Association in Finland

MONIKA is a non-governmental organisation for women from minority ethnic groups. Our goal is to create a society where everyone, regardless of their sex or ethnic background has the opportunity to participate and live a good life. MONIKA was established in 1998.

• Promotes immigrant women's right to a good and safe life;
• Develops and provides services for immigrant women and children who are suffering from violence;
• Offers education for authorities to recognize and prevent violence against immigrant women and children and to help victims;
• Acts as an umbrella organisation for 16 multicultural women's NGOs and supports their empowerment;
• Organises women's activity groups and gives guidance on the Finnish society in Multicultural Women's House started in 2009;
• In 2008 the services of MONIKA were evaluated as one of the best integration services in Helsinki. Evaluation was implemented by INTI CITIES -report of European Union.

Support, guiding and services

Multicultural Resource Center MONIKA provides easy access services, guidance, support and peer group activities for immigrant women and children who suffer from intimate relationship violence. Centers are located in Helsinki, Vantaa, Kemi-Tornio, Kainuu and Espoo.

All services, including the resource centre can be accessed anonymously. All services are offered free of charge. The national 24 hour helpline offers help and guidance.

National help line 24 h

Phone +358 9 692 2304

Refuge for Immigrant women - Mona home - offers refuge for immigrant women and children who are in immediate danger from intimate relationship violence. The first Mona home was founded in 2004 and the second one in 2009. Both are open to immigrant women nationwide and are situated in secret locations. The Mona home staff takes a holistic approach to a crisis. 

Service languages: Arabic, Dari, English, Estonian, Fars, Finnish, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Kurd, Portugal, Romanian, Somali, Spanish, Swedish,Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Russian

• Brochure of MONIKA
• Brochure for clients
• Annual Report 2007
• Statistics of MONIKA

The Multicultural Women's Houses in Helsinki and Mikkeli were founded in 2009 to offer a low threshold service, a "one stop shop" support for immigrant women. We provide a number of services such as

• Discussion/activity groups that support Finnish language learning
• Information on Finnish society and civil society
• Help in finding a job or a place of study
• Club activities for mothers, children and families
• Peer support groups
• IT guidance
• Guidance and counceling in cases of violence

Activities are mainly offered in Thai, Chinese, Filipino, Russian, Indian and Nigerian, but are open to immigrants of other nationalities and ethnic groups also. We offer information, support and activities in 20 different languages.

• Brochure of Multicultural Women's House 
• Brochure for clients

Latest news and events

• EWL Observatory on Violence Against Women, Working group on migrant women and the European Network on Migrant Women's working group on violence; meeting will take place on the 3rd - 5th December in MONIKA. Programme (PDF)
• Volunteers' evening on the 23rd of November at 5 pm in Monika
• Latvian study exchange visit to Monika delegated by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia on the 24th of November
• Training on mental well-being on the 26th of November and 1st of December organised by the project "OVI" of the Finnish Association for Mental Health. The training is for everyone interested in maintaining and supporting the well-being of oneself and that of -others.
• Seminar on domestic violence in a multicultural family on the 25th of November in Vaasa and on the 2nd of December in Tampere.

Useful links 

European Women's Lobby (EWL)

Equal Rights, Equal Voices: Migrant Women in the EU

Enomw - European Network of Migrant Women

ENAR - European Network Against Racism

Nordic Baltic Network, Support to women victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation

IOM - International Organization for Migration

UNIFEM

NYTKIS - The Coalition of Finnish Women's Associations

Infopankki - Associations in Finland

ENAR has launched its 2008 Shadow Report on racism in Europe. Follow the link to read ENAR`s press release, direct link

Violence in the EU examined PDF link

UN Human Rights Expert on Migrant Voices concern over Treatment of Child Migrants, UN News Centre Full Article Link

Research Report Save the Children Sweden, Child Migration & the Construction of Vulnerability, direct link 

"Honour Violence" - A Threat To Immigrant Women, interview with Nasima Razmyar, Coordinator of Multicultural Resource Center  direct link

Violence in Immigrant Families a Tough Nut to Crack, interview with Reet Nurmi, Managing Director of MONIKA direct link